Better Off Without
by Leaving-My-Mark
Summary: After Lin's father walks out, Toph's both furious and scared. She doesn't know if she'll be able to do it on her own. But then Sokka arrives and not only comforts her, but also reassures her and promises to stand in as Lin's father. PS I love reviews!


**A/N: **So us folks on tumblr were wondering what happened to Lin's father. While the details to his leaving weren't quite finalized (that bits totally mine) we kind of collectively agreed that Sokka would totally have offered to be the step-in father for Lin. I imagine he's Toph's closest friend even years later and that he'd be the first for her to go to if something went wrong with the man she was going to have her Lin with.

Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

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In the back of the yard behind the trees, Toph Beifong roughly plops herself down on the ground and raises her arms in a quick, angry manner. An earthen tent springs up out of the earth and enshrouds her and as soon as it does, she draws her legs in, wraps her arms around them, and lets out a frustrated cry. "Ugh! The coward!" she shouts, and then burries her head in her knees.

She enjoys perhaps a good fifteen minutes by herself in quiet solitude before she feels the vibrations of footsteps at the front of the house. Lifting her head and honing her feet and her ears to the sounds and vibrations from the house, Toph realizes that it's Sokka who has entered and is now looking for her.

She groans, leaning her head back against the stone wall. She doesn't want company! All she wants is to be left alone!

Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. Sokka quickly realizes she isn't inside and makes his way to the backyard. "Toph?" she hears him call for a third time. "Toph, where'd you—" Despite him being Sokka, he finds her shelter in the back behind the trees in no time. "Oh, back to making earth tents, huh?"

"Go away, Sokka," she says irritably, hugging her knees closer to her; or at least, as close as she can. She becomes further frustrated when she realizes her middle is already growing larger and frowns when the thought hits her that one day soon she won't be able to fold her knees up like this.

Huffing, she turns herself away from the sound of Sokka's voice.

"No, something's wrong and I'm not going until you come out and talk to me."

"Well you'd better set up your own tent, because I'm not going anywhere any time soon," she replies stubbornly.

Sokka sighs, knowing this act all too well. "Come on, Toph. We've been friends for years now. You're upset and I want to help."

"I can manage on my own," she answers curtly, dismissively. There's a pang in her chest as she thinks about what managing on her own really means. It means caring for her incoming child on her own.

"I saw him walking out," he abruptly states, and Toph winces. "I don't know the whole story, but I can only infer as to what might've gone down."

Toph lets the walls crumble and fall back into the earth. "He said he wasn't ready for this sort of thing yet. So he left," she tells him quietly. "I told him I was pregnant and he just left." The earthbender swears, the anger suddenly rising up again and growing like an Earthquake. "Why did he have to be such a coward? Does he think that I'm any more prepared for this than he is?" she demands loudly, and Sokka, for all he's worth, calmly sits down beside her and says nothing. He simply watches her and lets her rant until she's done.

"Want me to give him hell?" Sokka offers a little too gleefully.

"Surprisingly, no. I'm just going to let him rot away with the guilt that I hope and I'm sure will come his way soon enough," she replies bitterly, her hands closing into fists.

"Better yet, he'll probably see your child years down the road from now and realize how stupid he is that he could've had a kid as awesome as that and a woman as amazing as you," Sokka assures her, but Toph only frowns.

"I don't know a thing about parenting though, Sokka. You've seen me as a teacher. Without your help, I would've never figured out how to properly teach those three students in Yu Dao."

"Nonsense, Toph. You're a wonderful aunt to Aang and Katara's kids. How much different can that be from being a mom?" he asks, trying to spin the situation more positively.

"Immensely different," she argues.

"Okay, fine, so maybe it is. But you're going to get the hang of it, Toph. You became an amazing metalbending teacher—I mean, look at all those officers you've got in that police force of yours who all know how to metalbend! You'll get the hang of being a mother soon enough. I'm sure of it," he says, giving her a reassuring smile that she can't see.

"Think so?" Toph asks hopefully, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"I know so," he says, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer so that she's leaning on his shoulder. "And if you're worried about little Sokka Jr. ever needing someone to call his father, I'm your guy. Got it?"

Had he not just offered to be her unborn child's father, she'd have tried to roll her eyes at him and tease him about thinking she would ever name a kid of hers after him. But since he just had, all she does is give him a big grin as tears brim in her eyes and she replies softly, "Really?"

"Absolutely. I'd be glad to," he assures her, giving her shoulders a squeeze. "So, you like the name Sokka Jr. then?"

She bursts out laughing. "I'm not naming it that. Why would I ever subject a child of mine to such a fate?"

"Hey, it's a nice, strong name! It's a warrior's name!" he says, affronted.

The earthbender scoffs. "No. No way would I ever do that to my kid. Katara and I think it'll be a girl, anyway."

Sokka waves a dismissive hand. "Ah, what does Katara know?"

"She knows what having two kids feels like and each time she's guessed their gender she's been right," Toph fires back. "Just accept it; I'm not naming it after you."

With a resigned sigh, Sokka nods. "Okay, fine. Come on, let's go inside. I'll make tea," he says, and once he gets himself up he turns and offers her a hand. She's perfectly able to get up herself, but she takes his hand and lets him help her up anyway.

"Lead the way, Snoozles!"

And in the next few hours in which they chat and drink away two pots of tea, Toph comes to the conclusion that she'd rather have Sokka than some coward, anyway.

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**A/N: **Reviews and not favorite stories please? Pretty please? With cherries on top? Reviews make me much happier! Thank you!


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